Northern Empire
The Northern Empire, or the Imperial Expanse of the North, is an independent state located in northern Lancasteria. It is currently ruled by Emperor Volsaic Mungensseun. It has a population of 1.234 million people and spans about 9.85 million square miles, making it the sixth largest nation in the world. It is bordered by the Eastern Republic and shares the Orange Channel with LS. It is separated from Catalonia by the Strait of Cata. It is divided into three predominant regions: Regel, Czecha, and Frenju. Regel is the main area of the Empire, consisting mostly of the western side. Czecha is predominantly covered in glaciers and consists of almost 42% of the planet's oil production. Frenju is hardly populated and is mostly tundra, home to a variety of small nomadic tribal people called the Azerans. The Northern Empire was officially formed in 1807 by the EP in order to secure the regions oil fields from LS. Previous to the 1807 mandate, the region consisted of multiple kingdoms, the largest was Regel. The warlord king of Regel, King Ddel Versufi, was crowned Emperor in 1808 and the capital was based in the region. The Pydonians granted Versufi absolute power of the region, only requiring him to pay a small protection fee and allow the EP to extract oil in the Nortia Oil Fields. Versufi agreed on the condition the Empire would receive military equipment, which they did. For most of its early years, Versufi expanded his forces in order to dominate and expand his power, eventually controlling what is now the modern Empire. Oil has been the Empire's largest export, and central diplomatic tool when dealing with foreign nations. In the EP War, the Allies fought extensive battles in the Northern Campaign of 1920 to secure the Nortia and Gersin Oil Fields. These Fields fueled the Pydonian war effort, and were a critical loss when the Allies secured them. In the Second Buck Sea Wars, Nortia saw brutal combat between the HMR and LS, eventually resutling in a major nuclear attack. In modern times, the Northern Empire leases almost 4000 square miles of oil fields to HLS, and about 2500 to LS. The Empire also drills oil in much farther north and the crude product to poorer countries such as Catalonia and the Southern Republic. The Empire also has a rigourous taxation system, allowing them to tax HLS and LS oil production. As the Empire controls just under half of the world's oil production, it relies heavily on it. It is the founding member of the Leatixan Oil Federation, and was an adjunct member of the CCTO for a long stretch of time. History Prior to the Formation of the Empire Classical History The regions that are currently part of the Empire were the last areas found and colonized by Leatixans. According to Castinean records, fishing expeditions reported a long stretch of coastline bordering the north sea around 104. In 232, Castinean maritime explorer Hans Stanten officially landed on the coastline, finding it to be extremely barren and populated hardly any wildlife. Stanten landed around what is currently known as Gorrsing Bay, and spend the next five years mapping the area and trying to establish a colony. However, the Castinean government did not see any advantage to colonizing the region, and recalled Stanten in 239. The Fundimentals missions are quite muddled due to poor record keeping, but evidence suggests the first contact with the Regel regions was in 1080, just eighteen years after Lancasteria Weston LS was discovered by Regale King Vars. According to colony records, explorers landed sailed along two large land masses was actually modern LS itself, and the other was Catalonia. After sailing farther, the explorers landed in the Regel region. The explorers returned with the discovery of large fisheries, and over the next one hundred years, small fishing settlements were established throughout the region. These settlements never grew to be more than 500 total people, and most were seasonal as the waters would freeze over in the winter. However, the settlements did provided ample mapping of the west coast of the Regel region, providing important insight in the future. Explorers also used these settlements as staging grounds, such as the famous Lancasterian explorer Jules Orange, who better mapped Catalonia and the Orange Channel. The Kingdom of Regel In 1105, Lancasteria Weston was becoming a central area in the Fundimental world, utilizing the bountiful resources of the newly discovered regions. The economic expansion brought thousands of Northern Fundimentals to the region in order to become wealthy. This wave of migrants continued their way northwards as well, in hopes of becoming wealthy on the newfound discovery of gold in the Orange Channel. By this period, almost 25,000 people were living along the mouth of the channel, developing the township of Orange. When the central colony of Alexand became the Federal Lancaster States, the township feared takeover. This fear turned real when Alexand ratified the region as a State in 1111. Consequently, Orange leaders began to make the push to flee across the Orange channel and create a separate state, called Regel. Within three years, almost 22,000 people fled across the channel into modern day Northern Empire and established the Regel Colony. LS leaders wanted to pursue the colonists, citing they were under the jurisdiction of LS, but the growing divide between the nation and the Northern Fundimentals distracted them. Additionally, the Regel Colony agreed to trade about 20% of its gold and fish bounty annually to Alexand in order for independent status. The Colony of Regel continued to slowly grow, still attracting many people seeking wealth. Initially life was quite difficult for the populace, suffering from multiple food shortages and harsh weather conditions. Nevertheless, the people pushed on and by 1156, the Colony had a respectable size of 45,000 inhabitants. When the First Fundimental War occurred n 1231, the Colony feared that a LS defeat would result in the Northern Fundimentals to try and seize them as well. Consequently, the Regel Colony partnered with settlers in Catalonia and created a small milita in order to defend their waters. Actual numbers of the force is unknown, but it is estimated it was about 5000 men and 65 ships. Most of the fighting took place in the south, however in 1235 fighting got extremely close as the State of Orange was entirely conquered by Northern Fundimentals. The Regel Colony responded by sailing a delegation to meet with Fundimental leader Helz, hoping to develop peace. Helz, not interested in their lands, agreed and signed a short peace agreement. For the rest of the war, the Regel Colony remained neutral, yet slightly siding with the Northern Fundimentals. When Helz was defeated in 1237, it became clear that LS was the victor. As a reponse, the Regel Colony actually engaged in several small raids against Northern Fundimental supply caches in the region, and even supported six LS operations. The small military victories sustained by the Regel Colony turned their central leader, Dornus Halsaad, as a hero. As Regel leaders began to realize the changing geo-political atmosphere in the region called for a more centralized force, they pushed for Halsaad to become king. Some of the supporters argued that once LS officially won, they would begin to push northwards and restrict the Regel Colony's growth, or worse, challenge its legitimacy. Therefore, in 1238, Dornus Halsaad became the first King of the Regel Kingdom. The Czecha Kingdom and Wars From 1238 to around 1500, the Regel Kingdom expanded and encompassed about a third of the modern Empire. The population by 1500 was around 235,000 people, actually making the region the fifth largest world population. The Kingdom still dealt mostly with LS in terms of trade, although they did make some efforts trading with HLS. By this point, HLS controlled parts of the modern day Northern Empire, placing a barrier for the Empire in terms of expansion. Nevertheless, their dominion was still massive. In 1502, the Czecha noble family was beginnign to grow frustrated with the Regel King. The Czechas controlled the farther reaches of the Kingdom, and wanted to trade with HLS given their proximity. However, King Wuljanstai denied their petitions, fearing retribution from LS. As a result, the Czechas formed a force of 3000 men and declared themselves an independent kingdom under the lead of King Yani Czecha. The Czecha Kingdom was not recognized by Wuljanstai, and between 1503 and 1515, the two forces fought many extensive battles in the region. In 1516, Wuljanstai was killed when leading a charge against Czecha's cavalry, resulting in the defeat of the Regel Kingdom. The defeat had a domino effect as five other noble families began to break their oath of loyalty to the crown and form their own kingdoms, or even challenge the throne. The defeat of Wuljanstai lead to almost forty years of conflct for land, resulting in almost 65,000 total deaths, devastating the region's population. The Era of the Ten Kingdoms In 1567, King Czecha and ten other Kings met in Regel to discuss some sort of peace treaty in order to stop the continuous onslaught. The Kings agreed to a series of borders, promising to not raise armies against each other. The Treaty ended the war, but did bring on problems. Regel continued to trade with LS predominantly, while the Czechas traded with HLS. The other eight kingdoms were stuck in the middle, and were unable to trade with foreign nations. As a result, many simply traded with either Regel or Czecha, eventually creating a divided between the Kingdoms. The Northern Expanse In 1682, King Georgenir of the Talis Kingdom set out to strengthen the middle Kingdoms in order to compete with the growing Regel and Czecha Kingdoms. He modeled his plan to the Fundimentia, and unification of the Northern Corsairs into the Eastern Empire. Georgenir's crusade consisted of diplomatic joinings, as well as breaching the Treaty and waging war. The Middle Kingdoms were thrown into a brief warring period, with Georgenir eventually being victorious. In 1688, the Middle Kingdoms were consolidated by Georgenir to become the Northern Expanse Kingdom. The unified kingdoms were now the largest of the three Kingdoms, and also had access to newly discovered oil fields, enabling the potential for trade. The formation of the Northern Expanse brought tension in the region, but Regel was relatively receptive. In 1690, Regel King Gorus met with Georgenir to discuss partnering so the Kingdom could receive oil in return for LS goods. Georgenir agreed. The Northern Expanse would go on for most of the 1700s to be the glue of the region, steadily growing and creating a road between the Regel and Czecha Kingdoms. It also trade extensively with the CU, allowing technological goods to better enter the region. The Pydonian Council In 1807, the EP met with the King of Regel, Ddel Versufi, to discuss creating a unified region which would partner with the EP. The Pydonians, already facing extensive conflict elsewhere, did not have the resources to fully annex the massive region, and figured it would create a proxy state. This proxy state would homogenize the region, making its geopolitics regular and less volatile, allowing a secure and reliable stream of oil to the Pydonians. It would also provide a military partner who was incredibly close to LS, providing strategic value. Versufi initially did not want to upset LS, fearing invasion, but when he was reassured that the EP would assist him militarily, he readily agreed. As a result, in 1808 Versufi was crowned Emperor of the Northern Empire, decreeing he controlled the lands stretching from the Eastern Republic to the Orange channel. The King of Czecha and the Northern Expanse were taken back and immediately amassed forces to counter Versufi. It was no use, though, as Versufi's forces were armed with modern EP technology. By 1810, Versufi defeated the other Kingdoms, and further expanded his lands all the way to the Eastern Republic. The EP War The Northern Empire would soon become a valuable asset for the EP. For most of the 1800s, the Empire would conduct routine espionage operations into LS, such as smuggling EP operative from the channel. The development of a naval force also posed a threat to industrial cities such as Orange, prompting LS to attack Imperial positions on multiple occasions. For a brief period in the 1840s, the Empire conducted multiple air raids on Orange City and President City. LS retaliated by firebombing Regel, as well as striking Imperial naval bases in Catalonia. Fighting eventually subsided however when the EP moved 75,000 troops into the Empire for protection purposes. In 1920, Allied forces landed in the Gersin Oil Fields in order to cut off the EPs main oil supplies. The goal was to land a massive force and quickly take out, what were assumed to be poorly trained, Imperial troops. The issue was the EP intercepted Allied signals, and immediately alerted the Empire, as well as deploy EP troops. Emperor Qualtin ordered 10,000 troops to secure Gersin. The the south, the Imperial Navy began to report growing forces on the channel border, prompting Qualtin to move his military headquarters and government to Catalonia. He also then ordered an additional 14,000 troops to Gersin after more transmission were intercepted. The inital Allied force did not expect the massive quantity of Imperial troops, losing almost 1500 troops. However, the Allies were able to recover and eventually beat back the Imperial force. After five days of fighting, Gersin became a stalemate, as the embattled Holish marines requested reinforcements. After twenty days, Gersin finally fell, opening the Holish force to move forward. The next fifteen days resulted in the death of almost 8,000 Imperial troops as the oil fields were quickly seized. As Gersin fell, LS troops invaded Catalonia, attempting to quickly capture the Emperor. However, Qualtin was able to escape the inital invasion, and fled to the northern town of Serefin, complicating Allied plans. Qualtin was still adamant that the Empire could win, even continuing to broadcast messages on the Imperial sponsored radio service. Even as Allied forces continued to seize Imperial lands, including the capital in mid-1920, Qualtin made desperate proclamations for his people to fight. In late 1920, Imperial Commander Gorpuen Dotmser surrendered the remaining 32,000 troops to the Allies. Qualtin saw this as the final betrayal, and agreed to have the EP dispatch him out of the region. Qualtin lived in the EP until his death in 1932, running an exiled government that he called the 'true government of the North.' While he never abdicated, he was replaced by a Interim Governor by the Allies, who oversaw the occupation of the nation. From 1920 to 2001 the Northern Empire was occupied by mostly LS forces who extracted his resources for the war effort. The 2001 Treaty returned the nation's independence, and Emperor Quantin III was crowned. Buck Sea Wars During the Resistance Wars and the 2100s, the Northern Empire tried to maintain a sense of neutrality. The HMR continued to lease large swaths of the Czecha region, while LS remained their top trading partner. Emperor Grubbur V tried to modernize the nation by developing the Trans-Lancasterian road network, which connected LS and the Eastern Republic. The project was funded by the CCTO, but it eventually fell short of its initial goal due to major upheaval. In 2125, as LS and HMR aggression reached critical mass, Czecha protesters broke out in the city of Nortia. The protesters, who wanted to the Empire to favor the HMR over LS, turned violent and murdered the regions nobles. Emperor Grubbur V responded with force, but failed to destroy the rebellion. Over three weeks of violence eventually ended by the rebels stormed Regel and formed Grubber to abdicate. The new interim government renamed the nation as the Republic of the Expanse and for during the war would assist the HMR in fighting LS by conducting espionage and helping transport 250,000 Holish troops to Catalonia. LS supported Grubbur and responded by retaking Regel and strategic positions. The Republic fell back, only to be supported by a 750,000 Holish, which was able to stop the LS advance. When the war ended and the HMR lost, the Republic was retaken by pro-Empire and LS backed insurgents. Over the next decade fighting between the rebellion and Emperor Grubbur would continue, causing thousands of deaths. In 2135, Imperial forces defeated the rebels in Cors Valley, resulting in a reunified Empire. The First Buck Sea War greatly effected the Empire. Imperial leaders realized that their location was extremely strategic in world affairs, serving as a bridge between LS and the HMR. In the 2140s, the Empire approved LS development of a naval base in Nortia, causing concerns in New Holi City as it was so close. The Empire also began to support more CCTO policies, and started to slowly push the HMR out of the oil fields. By 2167, the HMR only had access to Gersin fields. The strengthening in LS ties greatly helped the Empire. Regel was one of the fastest growing cities, and the Imperial Army was being given tons of LS military technology. In the Glorious Catalonian Revolution of 2177, Imperial Forces conducted their first offensive operations, assisting in protecting President Volsen. Though they eventually failed, the show of force proved to LS that the Empire could protect valuable targets. The Northern Campaign of 2187 In the Second Buck Sea Wars, Imperial troops fought valiantly against HMR troops by stalling their advancement towards Nortia. Imperial forces provided excellent intelligence and scouting services for LS, rendering the HMR force to fall back and lose thousands of troops. Several weeks after the Campaign began, the Holish began to become fearful that the LS/Imperial force would utterly decimate the frail Holish force, resulting in the decision to conduct a nuclear strike. The Holish deployed three missiles, killing almost 235,000 Imperial troops and civilians, the largest single death in the country. Emperor Niklaus was infuriated and ordered total war against the HMR. Imperial vessels began to sail dangerously close to the Holi Capital Islands, resulting in several sea skirmishes. The Imperials did not have to attack, however, given the LS response with HESKWs. After weeks of nuclear attacks, the Holish landed back in the Empire, quickly seizing the city of Delsi from paratrooping over 50,000 troops into Regel. The Imperial Army, fearing execution, turned on the Emperor and forced him to abdicate. Within three hours of the Holish landing, the Northern Empire surrendered its forces, forcing the 80,000 LS troops to flee south. The Holish were not merciful, and brutally murdered thousands of these troops as they tried to escape across the Orange Channel. The Northern Empire would remain occupied by HMR troops for the rest of war until 2188 when President Celuchi of LS surrendered. The deal reduced the strength of the Empire as it allowed the HMR to annex Imperial oil fields, all of them. The Empire was now left with no major source of economic revenue, and adding the infastructure destruction of the war, the Empire fell into chaos. For the next fifty years, the Empire was engaged in brutal civil war as warring princes and nobles fought for the throne. The HMR supported the Czecha nobles with finances and military supplies. Eventually, the Czecha family secured Regel, and Emperor Czecha III was crowned. The Nord-Holi Treaty and Modem Policy In 2249 with Emperor Czecha's coronation, the Empire was reunified. Though back to its original size, the nation was still extremely weak. In order to stimulate the economy, Czecha approved the Nord-Holi Treaty which allowed the HMR to lease out large areas of land in the north for military operations. The Empire also began to outsource its population for labor jobs, mostly in LS and the HMR. The Treaty also required the HMR to pay small quantities of their total GDP from the oil they got in the fields. The Empire also agreed to the Modem Policy, written by Reince Modem of the HMR. The Policy required the Empire to be a satellite state of the HMR, as in they will serve and support the HMR in all operations and policies. The Modem Policy would continue to go on even in modern times to serve as the center point of Imperial politics and its relationship with the world. To this day, over 90% of the Empire's goods are exported to HLS. During the Jelerican War, Imperial troops were used several times by the Holish to secure smaller targets, and often saw combat against the SPA. The UE currently classifies the Northern Empire as a proxy state of HLS. Geography The Northern Empire spans almost 9.843 million square miles, rendering it the six largest country in the world. Though massive, most of it is covered in year round ice, with thick glaciers populating the central and far north landscape. The western portion of the Empire is a mix between tundra and deciduous forests, providing ample wood resources. The east consists mainly of steppes and several small mountain ranges, providing a wealth of metallic resources for the nation. Glaciers The Northern Empire has the most glaciers in Leatix, with an average amount of almost 6700. The largest glacier is the Volstaad Glacier, which is just 42 miles north of Nortia. It is almost forty miles long, it is about two miles thick actually provides the water for the largest river in the country. It is also the most southern glacier in Empire, with most of them towards the northern frontier. The Northern Empire considers itself the controller of the north pole, which is 241 miles north of its coast. While this claim is not internationally recognizes, the Empire is the only nation that reguarly conducts scientific and commerical operation in the region. In the 2300s, climate computers showed that about 25% of the nation's glaciers were drastically decreasing in size, and that the northern ice sheets were not growing as much during the winter compared to previous years. This raised the sea levels by almost .5 meters, causing flooding in cities such as President City and even Orangeville. In 2354, the Climate Agreement was signed which required a major reduction in the usage of fossil fuels. Since then, the Northern Empire is granted almost 500 million Kronos annually from LS, the CU, and HLS for glacier monitoring and research. West Regions The West Regions of the Empire are arguably the its most fertile areas, sprawling with massive forests and arctic prairies. Agriculture is quite difficult on these lands, but several grains and root plans do grow nicely in these conditions. The northern portion of the region is covered in thick tundra, and is generally covered in snow year round. The West Region is home to five major rivers, and almost 200 fjords. These fjords are great natural harbors, hence creating a thriving fishing industry in the Empire. The southern portion of the region borders the Orange Channel, which spans almost 1500 miles in length. Central Regions The Central Regions is a mostly covered in hills and thick glaciers. Due to platonic shifts, this area was once far closer to the equator, hence developing large deposits of dead plant life. These deposits created Leatix's largest oil reservoir, which is currently controlled by HLS and the Empire. The central port of Nortia is a natural cape, and is the second largest in the world. The Volstaad River flows through most of the region, spanning almost 750 miles before running into the Taska river. The majority of the region is covered by an average 25 inches of snow year round, making it very difficult to travel through. While the Empire has invested heavily in regional infrastructure, the main travel approach is air. The region is also home to several gold and platinum mines, mostly in the far north Eastern Regions Due to atmospheric wind patterns, the climate of the east is considerably warmer than in the central and west. Desert winds and water from the North Sea create a more temperate climate, with an average temperature of 54 F. The Eastern Regions are dominated by the Plansen Mountains, which then give way to a sprawling steppes. Mostly rocky, the area is home to some of the largest nickel and iron mines in the world. The region has an annual output of iron that outperforms the next sixteen mines combined. Given most of the easy to reach resources has been dug, mining operations have been forced to develop new methods to dig significantly deeper, causing some environmental concerns. Protests in Regel forced the Emperor to restrict mining activities in the region. Governance The Northern Empire is a Constitutional Empire, where its Emperor is constricted by a series of written rules and policies. The Emperor was an elected positions during its Pydonian controlled period. After the 2001 Treaty, the Emperor has been passed down through controlling families. The Emperor is guided and advised by the Council of Regulations, who are required to enforce the Constitution upon the Emperor. Even ten years, a General Assembly convenes in order to review plans for progress and other governmental operations. The Emperorship The Emperor is both the civilian and military leader of the country. All Emperors are required to serve at least five years in the military, as well as serve as a delegate during the General Assembly once. The Emperor has the final say in all executive decisions, and can render any law he sees fit. He is not permitted, however, to actually draft any legislation. This is done by the Councilman of the Legislate, along with his staff. Most of the government operations are managed by Councilman, with the writ approval of the Emperor. Councilmen are required to serve for at least ten years, but most tend to stay on the Council till their death. There have been several times where the Emperor was removed from his office, mostly done by the Council. If the Council considers the Emperor unfit for rule, they can conduct a Vote of No Confidence. If it is passed, the General Assembly must convene to pass it. The Emperor can uphold this vote if they feel it is illegitimate, which has happened several times in the past. At this point, the military tends to step in and forcibly removed the Emperor. The Emperor is far more than just a ruler, but also serves as the cultural figurehead of the nation. While the public does not necessarily consider the Emperor holy, the predominant Imperial philosophy considers the Emperor was mandated by God to control the nation, hence his word is sacred. The Emperor also controls the Imperial Holi Church, not the Lunai, deeming the Emperor religious ruler as well. The Council The Council is a series of ten leaders, all of whom are selected by the Emperor. They manage the day to day operations of the government and advise the Emperor on policy and legislation. There is no Councilman for Defense, being that the Emperor is advised on military operations by the Lieutenant of the Supreme Commander. The Council mostly controls diplomatic operations, as well as financing the government, deciding laws, and writing legislation. The General Assembly The General Assembly is one of the last political artifacts from the Pydonian era of the Empire. It was created by the EP in order to modernize and democratize the governmental structure of the Empire. Originally, the General Assembly took the legislative power away from the Council and handing it to the people. The Assembly would meet monthly and would consist of delegates from 220 Zones. These delegates were elected every two years by the population of each zone and were tasked with developing laws that would be passed to the Emperor. The General Assembly saw major tensions with the Emperor during its early stages, and would eventually be banned during the LS occupation of the Empire in the 1900s. When the Empire was reinstated by the 2001 Treaty, the General Assembly was left out by the provisions, as well as the council, rendering the Emperor total control. This mistake led to several autocratic Emperors during the 2000s, increasing poverty and worsening the living conditions of the country. The Assembly was eventually reinstated after the First Buck Sea Wars, but was heavily restricted. Currently, the Assembly meets every 10 years to draft 'Decade Plans' where it highlights major goals for the Empire. It consists of only 100 Delegates, most of whom are not elected by the populace. While the main purpose of the Assembly is to make Decade Plans, it is also essential for terminating the reign of Emperors. It is also the only entity of the government that can make amendments to the Constitution. Economy Due to the Modern Policy, the Northern Empire's economy is heavily restricted. Almost 90% of its exports are to HLS, while the rest are generally sent to smaller nations such as Scorpia or Quebzec. Since the 2200s, the Northern Empire has agreed to ban all trade with LS. It used to be in a trade agreement with Catalonia, but Catalonia switched over to LS in the 2500s, rendering the agreement null. The GDP of the Empire is about 345 billion Kronos a year, and growing. The Empire has seen a heavy investment by HLS banks and technology companies given the minimal taxes for foreign companies. The city of Regel is currently experiencing one of the largest city expansions in the world, with a population increase over the last six years of 4.5 million people. Given the Empire's relative security and stability, it is the most popular location for Eastern Republic refugees.